I. Field of Use
The present application relates generally to the home automation and control arts. More specifically, embodiments of the present invention relate to remote control of electrical devices.
II. Description of the Related Art
Home automation and control has been gaining popularity in recent years, allowing homeowners to remotely monitor and control various devices in their home. For example, the Nest thermostat has revolutionized the home thermostat market by intelligently learning the usage habits of home occupants, while also allowing remote control of the thermostat via the Internet. Wi-Fi enabled light bulbs are becoming increasingly common, allowing remote control of lights. A variety of other remote control devices are available, including devices that open/close garage doors, turn on/off pool/spa equipment, turn on/off sprinkler systems, etc.
The popularity of being able to control lighting is of particular interest to many consumers. However, it is generally necessary to purchase expensive equipment to enable such a feature, such as expensive Wi-Fi capable light bulbs, or Wi-Fi enabled light switches. Such Wi-Fi enabled light switches typically require replacement of the entire light switch, which potentially requires access to household AC voltages. Understandably, many homeowners are incapable or unwilling to perform such re-wiring.
It would be desirable, therefore, to enable homeowners to retrofit their existing electrical switches in order to add remote control capabilities to turn lights and other electrical devices on and off without having to purchase expensive lighting equipment or having to replace entire light switches.